Circuit-closer for electric clocks.



0. M; TODD. CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR ELECTRIC CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l. 1915. 1,162,263. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

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awwemloz 0. M. TODD. CIRCUII CLOSER FOR ELECTRIC CLOCKS.

APPLICA TION FILED APR-1. 19). 1,1 62,263. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

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wi lwwmo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ORA M. TODD, OF TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER FOR ELECTRIC CLOCKS.

Application filed April 1, 1915.

To aid whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORA M. Tom), a citizen of the United States, residing at Toppenish, in the county of Yakima and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Closers for Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in secondary clocks of the type in which a plurality of secondary or auxiliary clocks are controlled and operated electrically by a single controlling master clock. v

More specifically, this invention is a continuation in part of my copending application for improvements in electrically operated auxiliary clocks, filed August 7, 1914, and bearing the Serial No. 855,674.

One of the primary objects of my present invention is the provision of a novel form of circuit closer by means of which the controlling cireuit of the auxiliary clock or clocks is opened and closed, the circuit closer being in turn operated by the swinging of the pendulum of the master clock. The clockworks of the auxiliary clocks are driven by movement of armatures, the electro-magnets of which are in the controlling circuit of the system, and a further object of my invention consists in the wiring of the controlling circuit which includes the circuit closer and the electro-magnets. Each of my auxiliary clocks is also provided with an electrically actuated hand setting device, and a further object of my invention is to arrange a controlling circuit for these devices which may be momentarily closed by a manually operable switch which also controls the main circuit for energizing the auxiliary clocks.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, illustrating a pair of auxiliary clocks connected in circuit with a master clock operated circuit closer; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the circuit closer proper; Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the circuit closer, illustrating the wiring; Fig. i is a fragmentary elevational Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Serial No. 18,590.

view of a somewhat modified form of circuit closer; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the clockworks of one of the auxiliary clocks.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In order to insure a clear understanding of my invention, I will first describe the construction of the auxiliary clocks mployed in my system. Each clock includes an annular body portion 10 carrying a dial 11 and clockworks 12 supported at the rear of the clock body by 'adially extending bracket arms 13 secured at their outer ends to the frame plate 14L- of the clockworks.

Referring more specifically to Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, the works of the auxiliary clock are shown as supported in an open casing, including the rear casing plate 14 and forward casing plate 15, the two being maintained in spaced relation by tie bolts 16 extending through spacer sleeves 17. A shaft 18 is journaled in the plates 1% and 15 and carries, at the rear of the plate 1 1, a toothed wheel 19. This shaft also carries apinion 2O meshing with a toothed wheel 21 carried by a second shaft A second pinion 23, carried by the shaft 22, meshes with a toothed wheel 2% carried by a shaft 25, which shaft extends through the dial 11 of the clock and carries the minute hand 26.

The shaft 25, immediately in advance of the front casing plate 15, carries a pinion 27 meshing with a toothed wheel 28 carried by a stub shaft 29 which also carries a pinion 30 meshing with a toothed wheel 31 carried by a sleev 32 which is rotatable upon the shaft 25, projecting at one end through the dial 11 to receive the hour hand 33. The shafts 18 and 22 are both rotatably mounted and their toothed wheels and pinions are keyed or otherwise fixed to the respective shafts. On the other hand, the toothed wheel 28 and pinion 39 are preferably united to each other and mounted to turn idly upon the stub shaft 29, while the gear 24c of the shaft 25 is frictionally mounted upon its shaft in such a manner as to normally turn the shaft but to be free under strain to turn independently thereof. Because of this, the minute hand may be turned without in any way affecting the ears of the shafts 1S and 22 and may, therefore, be set in a manner which will be later explained. The gear ratios of the train of gears 27 to 31 is such that the hour hand will move only onetwelfth as fast as the minute hand.

Secured to the rear face of the plate 14, adjacent the toothed wheel 19, is a bracket 34 carrying a shaft 35 which in turn carries a pinion 36 meshing with the toothed wheel 19. A supporting lever 37 is pivoted intermediate its length as shown at 38 upon the plate 14 and swingingly connected to this lever, adjacent one end, is a pawl 39 adapted to engage the teeth of the pinion 36. This pawl is so arrangedas to constantly hang in engagement with the teeth of the pinion in such a manner that depression of that end of the lever carrying the pawl will cause it to turn the pinion through such an angle as to advance the toothed wheel 19 a distance equal to the space between adjacent teeth of such wheel. An armature 40 is rigidly fixed to one end of a hanger arm 41, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the lever 37 at that end opposite the pawl 39, this armature coacting with an electro-magnet 42 supported by a bracket 43 carried by the casing of the clockworks.

The armature is normally held in spaced relation above the electro-magnet, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, by means of a relatively light helical spring 44, one end of which is connected to the opposite end of the supporting lever 37 and the other end of which is connected to the shank terminal of an adjusting screw 45 having a milled head 46, this adjusting screw being threaded through a bracket 47 carried by the body portion 10 of the clock. As will be readily apparent, the tension of the spring 44 may be readily adjusted by proper regulation of the adjusting screw 45 to insure proper supporting of the armature 40. Wires 48 and 49 lead from the terminals of the electro-magnet 42 to binding posts 50 and 51, respectively, carried by the body portion 10 of the clock, and, if such body portion is formed of metal, suitably insulated therefrom.

Having thus described the construction of the auxiliary clock proper, I will now explain the construction of the circuit closer employed in opening and closing the circuit of the electro-magnet 42 and also the manner in which such circuit closer is opened and closed by the master clock.

Referring more specifically to Fig. 3 of the drawings for the circuit closer construction, it will be seen that a base 52 of insulating material is provided adjacent each end with binding posts 53 and 54 of any suitable type. This base, which is preferably rectangular in shape, is cut-away centrally to provide oppositely inclined faces 55 to receive the L-shaped brackets 56 in the upwardly directed arms of which are threaded contact screws 57 having platinum contact points 58. This arrangement of the brackets positions the screws with their contact points directed toward each other and each at a slight downward angle toward the base. It will of course be clear that either or both of the screws 57 may be readily adjusted in order to properly space the two apart. brackets 56 in place, also serve as binding posts, being connected by a wire 60, while a wire 61 leads from one of them to the binding post 54. The base of the circuit closer, midway between the brackets 56, is provided with a vertically disposed bracket 62 forked at its upper ends to provide bearings for a shaft 63 carrying a balance wheel 64. Soldered or otherwise secured to the outer peripheral face of this balance wheel are the diverging fingers 65, these fingers lying in the plane of the balance wheel. The diametrically opposite'portion of the balance wheel is provided with an extension or finger 66 carrying platinum contact points 67 for engagement by the contact points 58 of the contact screws 57. A wire 68 leads from the bracket 62, which, of course, is in electrical connection with the balance wheel 64 and its contact points 67, to the binding post 53. The balance wheel 64 is so balanced that it is normally held with either one or the other of its contact points 67 in engagement with the corresponding contact point 58.

Referring again to Fig. 1 of the drawings,

it will be seen that the above described circuit closer is positioned within the case 69 of the master clock 70, which clock may be of any desired pendulum type. The free end of the pendulum 71 of this clock is provided with a finger 72 adapted to engage the fingers of the balance wheel. The circuit closer is, of course, placed in the case in such a manner as to bring the fingers in the plane of the pendulum and in the path of the finger 72. Furthermore, the fingers 65 of the balance wheel and the finger 72 of the pendulum are so proportioned that only that finger 65 which is more nearly vertical when the balance wheel is at rest in either of its positions, will project to a sufficient elevation to be engaged by the finger 72. As a result, the swinging of the pendulum will cause intermittent rocking of the balance wheel and consequent intermittent opening and closing of the circuit between the binding posts 53 and 54.

In order to provide means for setting the auxiliary clock, the body portion 10 of the clock is recessed, as shown at 73, directly above the twelve oclock inscription upon the dial plate, to receive an electro-magnet 74. One end of the core 75 of this magnet extends downwardly, so that when this electro-magnet is energized, assuming that the The screws 59, which secure the minute hand is anywhere in the vicinity of the twelve oelock inscription, such hand will be attracted by the magnet which will exert an upward pull upon the hand to bring it directly in line with the 12 oclock inscription. Wires 76 lead from the terminals of the electro-magnet to binding posts 77 and 78.

Under ordinary circumstances, one master clock will be employed to control a number of auxiliary clocks by means of a common circuit opened and closed by the circuit closer, previously described. The setting of all the auxiliary clocks will also be controlled by a branch circuit of the main circuit which in turn is closed by a manually operable switch, as will be later explained. The preferred arrangement of circuits for a system such as this is illustrated in Fig. 1, in which a wire 79 leads from one pole of 'a battery 80 to a swingingly mounted switch arm 81, the free terminal of which is movable to selectively engage either the fixed contact 83 or a second fixed contact 84, as preferred. It will of course be clear that the switch blade 81 may be swung out of engagement with both of the fixed contacts, if desired. A wire 85 leads from the fixed contact 83 to the binding post 53 and a wire 86 leads from the binding post 54 past all of the auxiliary clocks which the clock 7 O is to control. Branch wires 87 lead from the wire 86 to the binding post 51 of each auxiliary clock and wires 88 lead from the binding post 50 to a wire 89 forming a common return wire to the other terminal of the battery 80. A wire 90 leads from the fixed contact 84 to the binding post 77 of one of the auxiliary clocks and a wire 91 leads from the binding post 78 of another of the auxiliary clocks to the common return wire 89. A wire 92 connects the free binding posts 78 and 79 of these two clocks, or in case a still larger number of auxiliary clocks are in the system, a number of wires 92 are connected between them in such a manner that the electro-magnets 74 of all the clocks are connected in series.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of my improved auxiliary clock system will be readily understood and but slight description is therefore necessary. It will of course be clear that as many auxiliary clocks may be controlled by the master clock as desired and that they may be located at any distance from the master clock, in different parts of a building or in dilferent buildings. It will further be understood that the clockworks of the auxiliary clocks will have their toothed wheels and pinions so proportioned as to turn the hands at the proper rate of speed, dependent upon the type of master clock employed, that is, upon the rate at which the pendulum of the master clock swings. Each time the pendulum 71 of the master clock swings from one extreme limit of its movement to the other, the circuit closer, which is normally closed, will be momentarily opened and then closed again, the result being that the electro-' magnets t2 of all the auxiliary clocks in the system will be intermittently deenergized to co-act with the springs 4A and cause an intermittent swinging of the suporting levers 37 and consequent turning of the pinions 36 and remaining toothed wheels and pinions of the clockworks to turn the hands at the proper speed. It will of course also be clear that all of the auxiliary clocks may be cut out of the system simultaneously by completely opening the manual switch 81, which switch may be located at any convenient point.

In order to set the clock, the circuit through the wires 79, 90, 76, 92 and 89 is momentarily closed by means of the manually operable switch 81. One switch, therefore, serves as a controlling switch for both the clock energizing circuit of main circuit and for the setting circuit. The clocks should only be set at an even hour at which time the minute hands of the auxiliary clocks should be close enough to the poles of the electro-magnets 74 to be attracted by such magnets when they are energized and, therefore, drawn into proper position. Obviously, the setting circuit should not be kept closed for any length of time as otherwise the movement of the minute hands of the clocks would be unduly retarded.

As a means for preventing over-movement of the gear 19 of my auxiliary clock. I provide a roller 93 mounted to turn upon the laterally directed terminal of a swinging arm 94 pivoted at its other end to the frame plate 14. The peripheral face of this roller is grooved, as shown in Fig. 5, to engage the peripheral edge of the gear wheel 19 and the roller is held in frictional engagement with such gear wheel by means of a leaf spring 95 secured at one end to the plate l t and bearing at its free end upon the intermediate portion of the arm 9%.

It will of course be understood that, if desired, the number of teeth in the gear wheel 19 may be reduced by half and a circuit closer of the type in which a circuit is closed once every two seconds employed, instead of the one previously described. In Fig. 4, I have illustrated such a circuit closer which is identical to that previously described, with the exception that one of the contact screws is replaced by a screw 96 of non-current conducting material, whereby the rocking of the balance wheel 64: serves merely to close a circuit at one end of its movement and not at the other. Obviously, the contact screw 57 is connected directly to the binding post 54:, as was previously the case, while the balance wheel is electrically connected by a wire 97 to the binding post 53.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A circuit closer adapted to be intermittently opened by swinging of a pendulum, including adjustably spaced contacts adapted to be included in a circuit, and a pendulum engaging balance wheel adapted to be included in the circuit and having contacts for engagement with the adjustable contacts.

2. A. circuit closer adapted to be intermittently opened by swinging of a pendulum, including adjustably spaced contacts both adapted to be included in a circuit, and a pendulum engaging balance wheel adapted to be included in the circuit and having contacts for engagement with the adjustable contacts, said balance wheel having diverging arms adapted to extend in the path of movement of a pendulum to be engageable by it.

8. A circuit closer adapted to be intermittently opened by swinging or" a pendulum, including adjustably spaced contacts both adapted to be included in a circuit, and a pendulum engaging balance wheel adapted to be included in the circuit and having contacts for engagement with the adjustable contacts, said adjustable contacts including Copies of this patent may be obtained for spaced brackets and contact screws threaded through the brackets with their contact terminals spaced from each other.

4:. A circuit closer adapted to be intermittently opened by swinging of a pendulum, including an adjustable contact, and a pendulum engaging balance wheel both adapted to be included in a circuit the balance Wheel having a contact movable into and out of engagement with the first contact.

A circuit closer including a base of insulating material, binding posts secured to the base, an intermediate bracket secured to the base, spaced brackets secured to the base, one at either side of the first bracket, electrical connection between one binding post and both spaced brackets, electrical connection between the other binding post and intermediate bracket, contacts adjustable in the spaced brackets toward and away from each other, a balance wheel mounted for oscillation upon the intermediate bracket and in electrical engagement therewith, and diverging arms extending from the peridiverging arms extending from the periphery of the balance wheel.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. ORA M. TODD. [L.'S.] Vitnesses Roscoe MAnnox,

MARGARET PEARNE.

Washington, D. C. 

